Stress, alcohol and your skin: the trouble with working hard and partying hard

March 9, 2015 by Works with Water

It seems that every week a new study is published in the press all about how stressed and anxious we’re getting as a nation. A positive thing to see amongst the stressed-out stress talk is the rise in mindfulness and meditation practice, but unfortunately many people still turn to negative habits to try and combat the working day stress, switch off and cope with mounting workloads, like alcohol and excessive partying.

The work hard and play hard mentality is rife among the UK workforce and although you may expect the younger generation to be the only ones burning the candle at both ends, people of all ages are in danger of hitting the bottle and the dance floor a little too hard. Coupled with long hours and work stress, alcohol can have a negative effect on many different aspects of your life, including your productivity, relationships, mental wellbeing and skin.

Here at Works With Water we’re particularly keen on taking a look at the way this lifestyle can negatively impact your health and also the condition of your skin, particularly if you already suffer from spots, acne and whiteheads.

Granted there are some forms of alcohol with beneficial antioxidants, red wine contains a good antioxidant called resveratrol – keep an eye on our blog for the launch of our new help: beautify skin ready to eat jelly supplement which contains this great ingredient – but too much alcohol (and for many too much is actually just a glass or two) is considered a toxin by our bodies. Alcohol is a type of hepatotoxin, which means it can cause serious damage to our livers over time leading to serious complications further down the line. Although you may never develop serious liver problems, a liver affected by alcohol can still manifest itself on the outside, through sallow and dull-looking skin.

As well as being a toxin, alcohol can lead to extreme dehydration in all of your body – but particularly in skin cells. So skin isn’t just left feeling dry, but it’ll look pale and malnourished from the inside too – something that a simple night cream won’t be able to sort out unfortunately!

And last but not least, because alcohol is a toxin and leads to dehydration, it also puts a downer on your body as a whole, which means your immune system is likely to be weakened. Couple this with a lack of sleep and you’ll find you’re much more likely to catch colds, hang on to infections and get spots and acne that stick around for far too long.

So what’s the answer?

Drinking in moderation

Well, drinking in moderation is a good way to go if you don’t want to disrupt your social calendar too much and don’t feel compelled to make any big life changes. We know you’re told time and time again and it’s hard to remember in the moment, but do try and have a glass of water for every glass of wine or spirit and mixer. Not only will it stop your headache from being quite so painful in the morning, but it’ll keep you hydrated, which may have a small but significant effect on the quality of your skin the next day.

Looking after your body and your skin

You can check out the rest of our blog for a multitude of ways to look after your body and skin, but for now let’s keep it simple by focusing on eating more fruits and vegetables, keeping yourself hydrated throughout the day and getting plenty of sleep. It sounds simple, but it’s easy to forget the simple things when you’ve got a lot on your plate. If looking after your skin is a priority, we can’t recommend enough drinking lots of water throughout the day – we promise your pores will thank you for it! You can add help: clear skin and help: clear skin MEN to water or any beverage to give your skin cells even more of a boost too, the 100% natural ingredients will help those dehydrated, stressed-out pores from the inside out.

Finding new ways to deal with stress

We don’t doubt for a second that many people enjoy partying, late nights and drinking too much. But for some this kind of lifestyle is actually a way of trying to deal with stress and emotions by pushing them down and lifting the drinks high! You might find your body and mind will thank you more if you find new ways to deal with the stress you face each day. Many people swear by regular meditation, exercise, a new hobby, or even just socialising in a different environment, like meeting friends at a fancy coffee shop or cinema rather than always hitting the pub.

Looking after your mind

As well as finding new ways to deal with your stress, it’s important to acknowledge it’s there and take some steps in the right direction. Try and be more mindful of your moods and the directions they push you in by practicing some simple meditation, keeping a journal or even just taking a few more breaks from work during the day. You don’t have to run away to a retreat and overhaul your life – small steps really do make a big difference and often just downing tools, stepping outside and taking a deep breath can work wonders.

Do you have any top tips for dealing with stress or stepping out of the party hard lifestyle? Let us know what you’d suggest in the comments below.